Field
This invention relates to a method of detecting leakage of reactive gas of a fuel cell and a fuel cell system.
Related Art
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell, hereinafter also called a “fuel cell” simply, generates power in response to receipt of hydrogen supplied as fuel gas and oxygen (air) as oxidizing gas. Various techniques relating to detection of hydrogen leakage have been suggested for a fuel cell system as described in JP2010-272433A and JP2012-151125A, for example.
As disclosed in such as the aforementioned publications, it is desirable that hydrogen leakage be detected reliably before a fuel cell starts generating power at a time of start-up of a fuel cell system. Additionally, it is desirable that a time to elapse before operation of the fuel cell is started be shortened at a time of start-up of the fuel cell system.